dehaitee



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. DEHAITRE. MACHINE FOR FOLDING FABRICS.

No. 554,020. Patented Feb. 4, 1896.

ANDREW BYGRANAM. PHOYO-UTHQWASHINETUNJ C.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. DEHAITRE. MACHINE FOR FOLDING FABRICS.

No. 554,020.. Patented Feb. 4, 1896.

YN M l.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

4 v F. DEHAITRE.

MACHINE FOR FOLDING FABRICS.

Patented Feb. 4, 1896.

ANDREW B.GRANAM PHUTDUYNQWASHINFI'ONJD.

NITED TATES PATENT OFFICE.

FERNAND DEHAITRE, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

MACHINE FOR FOLDING FABRICS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,020, dated February 4, 1896.

Application filed January 4, 1895. Serial No. 533,857. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FERNAND DEHAITRE, a citizen of the French Republic, residing at Paris, in the Republic of France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Folding Fabrics with Interposition of Cardboard Between the Folds, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improved machine for mechanically folding fabrics and at the same time introducingbetween the folds of the fabric glazed cardboards for the purpose of imparting luster to the fabric when subjected to the action of a press, the introduction of the cardboard sheets being effected by pneumatic action.

This machine is characterized by the combination, with an arrangement of mechanical devices for folding the fabric, of a system of suction devices which, simultaneously with the said folding,take up successively the separate cardboard sheets and place them between the folds of the fabric, where they are made to remain by the action of a device which at the proper moment throws the suction apparatus out of action.

For enabling the invention to be readily understood I will describe the same with referenoe to the accompanying drawings, which show by way of example the construction of a folding-machine with my invention applied thereto. a

Figure 1 shows a front view of the machine. Figs. 1 and 1 show the suction devices for lifting the paper; Fig. 2, a'crosssection on line 1 2 of Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and 1, two detail views of parts of the machine to a larger scale.

The same letters and numerals of reference indicate the same parts in each of the figures.-

The machine consists of a framing A, carrying the entire mechanism, and includes three compartments, in two of which are two vertically-moving platforms B, each receiving one -half of the number of cardboardsheets to be contained in a folded piece of fabric, while the third, situated in the middle, has a platform 0 on which the fabric is folded and at the same time during the folding receives alternately from one or other of the platforms B one of the cardboard-sheets be tween the folds.

The machine also includes an arrangement of four vertical parallel beams P P, placed symmetrically on each side of the frame of the machine, connected at their upper ends by connecting-bars Q and pivoted at their lower ends upon shafts 14, motion being im parted to the beams by means of connectingrods 0, receiving motion from the shaft N by means of crank-plate N. To the beams P P and connecting-bars Q are attached all the operating mechanism of the machine.

The motion is imparted to the platforms of the machine as follows: The platforms B B are each actuated by means of a small cord or chain G, one end of which is fixed to each of the rods 1) b, carrying the platform, while the other is coiled upon a shaft I, on which is mounted a ratchet H, actuated by a series of pawls 1 2, of which 1 serves to move the ratchet-wheel while 2 serves to prevent any backward motion when 1 is raised. The pawl 2 is simply mounted on a transverse bar of the machine by means of a pin on which it can turn. The pawl 1 forms part of an ar ticulated frame 3, that can oscillate on the one hand at 4 on a fixed transverse bar of the machine and on the other hand at 5 011 one of the vertical beams P P, which by their oscillating motion impart to the pawls a toand-fro motion, which causes the step-by-step rotation of the ratchets H. The platform 0 is actuatedin the same manner by a ratchet F rotated by a pawl 6 mounted on the articulated frame 7 connected on the one hand to a transverse part of the framing A, on which it is pivoted at 8. On the other hand it is pivoted to the beam P, which imparts to the pawl a to-and-fro motion similar to that of the pawl 1, while the pawl 9 prevents the backward movement of the ratchet F. This is mounted on the shaft F, which carries 011 the one hand a pinion D, gearing with a toothed rack E, forming part of the rod of the platform C, and serves to communicate at will an upward or downward motion thereto. The shaft F furthermore carries a drum m, of variable diameter, on which is coiled a chain Z, carrying at its end a counterweight 7c, serving to balance the load placed on the platform 0, so as to reduce the power required to be imparted to the ratchet during the descending motion of the platform.

The variation of the diameter of the drum on allows of the action of the balance-weight being increased in proportion as the load on the platform increases.

The abovedeseribed movements are so regulated that the platforms B rise and the platform C descends at different speeds, so that notwithstanding the removal of the cardboards from the platforms l3 and the piling up thereof on the platform 0 the top of each pile always remains at the same level as the other, or nearly so. The shaft J transmits by the pulley K, the pinion L, wheel M, shaft N, the crank-plates N, and the rods 0 a toand-fro motion to the beams P P, as already stated. The connecting-bars R carry a certain number of suction-holding devices S, mounted on vertical rods T, round which are coiled small helical springs U, serving to raise the holding devices.

The pneumatic apparatus consists of an arrangement of rods T sliding in fixed supports R, the upper extremities of the rods being provided with enlargements to retain the springs U, located between the same and the supports and serving to raise the rods T. At their lower extremities the said rods carry rubber cuppings b, which when 'at rest have the shape shown in Fig. 1. \Vhen by the action of the levers 13, which revolve around the fixed axle 12, the rods T are lowered, compressing the springs U, the cuppings are flattened and take the shape as in Fig. 2, the air contained therein is expelled, and as there is a perfect contact between the cupping and the pasteboard when the rods rise again by the springs U there will be a partial-vacuum under said cupping and as a consequence thereof the pasteboard will be carried along as stated.

At the upper part of the beams P are attached two levers V carrying at their ends the rollers X serving to fold the fabric. These rollers are guided horizontally by the slides Y.

On the connecting-bars Q are mounted by means of supports 10 the small angle-bars a, serving to detach at the required moment the cardboards from the holding devices. The small angle-bars are actuated by a system of levers 11 mounted 011 ashaft 12 turning with them, and carrying stops Z), of which each series alternately strike against corresponding fixed stops 0. The shaft 12 also carries fingers 13 that press upon the rods T of the suction devices, for causing these to engage with the cardboards and counterweights cl that serve to bring back the shaft 12, stops Z) and fingers 13 into their original position.

For retaining the folds already formed with their cardboards and preventing them from being drawn back by the stretched part of the fabric, I employ an arrangement of fingers e, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, connected by brackets c with cross-rods e operated by the rods 7L sliding in guides j, having curved slots in which works a stud j fixed on the rods 71., whereby these are guided in their movement.

The rods 7L receive their up and down mo tion by the cams or tappets f, Figs. 1., 2 and t, which are fixed on the shafts 14 on which the beams P P are also fixed, and which consequently turn therewith. Referring to Fig. 4, which shows to a larger scale the action of these parts, it will be seen that in the extreme right-hand position of the beams P, or in the extreme left-hand position of the beams P, the tappet f being at the end of its stroke, the counterweight g, pivoted at g to the rod it, will drop, forcing the end 9 at its extremity to be interposed between the end of rod h and the tappet f, as shown in the mean position at the left-hand side of Fig. 1 and at Fig. -1, so that during the rising of the cam f, caused by the movement of the beam P, the rod 7L is suddenly raised, causing the tingers e to be pressed down on the folded fabric until the tappetf arrives at the end of its upstroke, when it escapes from the end g, so that on the return motion it presses this outward, as shown in the mean position at the right-hand side of Fig. 1 and in dotted lines in Fig. 2, whereby the rod his allowed to sink by gravity and raise the fingers e.

The machine has hand-wheels Z for regulating the positions of the platforms B B O, a bracket 0 serving to receive the folded fabric before it passes into the machine, and a curved table p and roller 1 and guide 1 serving to lead the fabric to the platform 0, which can be drawn out of the machine when it has received its load of folded fabric by means of a system of rollers 15 rolling on rails 16 fixed on the fixed part 0 of the platform G. For effecting this motion it is necessary to first raise the folded fabric at the edges for affording some play, this being readily elfected by means of hand-levers 17.

The action of the above-deseribed machine is as follows: The parallclog gams P P Q are moved by means of hand-wheels (not shown) on the shaft N to one of the starting-points, that is to say, to a point where the beams I are at the one end of their strokes; the extremity of the fabric on table 0 is passed over the table 29, roller q, and guide 1", and between the rollers X, and is placed upon a sheet of the cardboard on the platform 0. The first fold is then made, adding a second cardboard, and the one set of fingers e are closed down upon the fold so as to hold it. In this position three suction-holding devices S are applied to one of the heaps of cardboard on the platforms B, and the machine being put in motion the beams P P move from one end position over to the other, the rollers X carry the fabric along, and the holders S having seized one of the cardboards also carry this along, following the motion of the beams.

This cardboard, when the beams have completed their motion, is placed upon the fold of the fabric and the fingers a cause theholders to release the cardboard. At this moment the fingers e which had previously been turned down by hand are raised by the action of the counterweight g and tappet f. The beams commence their return mot-ion, leaving the cardboard on the fold, carrying the fabric over it, and lifting another cardboard by the other set of holders. As soon as the beams commence this return motion, the fingers e opposite to those which had been turned down by hand are lowered and hold the fold formed. This cycle of movements is repeated until the entire length of fabric has been folded on the table (J. The machine is then stopped and the beams are brought to the middle or vertical position. The end of the cardboard is raised by means of the levers 17, the platform 0 is withdrawn, and the fabric with the cardboard is removed.

The platforms B are lowered to their lowest position, the platform 0 is raised to its highest position, and the platforms B being charged with fresh piles of cardboard the operation is repeated.

I claim In a machine for inserting cardboard between the folds of a fabric, a table upon which the folding is effected, supporting-tables for the cardboard, means for folding the fabric, feeding devices for the cardboard consisting of the rods T, the rubber cups on their lower ends forming aspirators, the lever 13 for depressing said rods andthe springs for raising them, and means for operating the feeding devices, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

FERNAND DEI-IAITRE.

\Vit-nesses CLYDE SHROPSHIRE, J ULES FAYOLLET. 

